On Sunday we broke away from the group as they busily tacked back and forth across Shaw Bay.  As we called goodbye to Jake, he called back about what a great time he was having, playing with his boat and listening to the baseball game ... life is good.  On the way out of the River we took a picture of a waterman whom we've seen before in the Wye.  Actually, she's a waterwoman and she operates a waterman's boat named, Bad Girl:

        So Virginia and I motored all the way back to Shipping Creek under the Bimini cause it was starting to warm up.  So for "the rest of the story" I'll have to depend on the others.   MAYBE I WILL GET PICTURES FROM THE OTHERS ???!!!

Jake Input:

Hi Ken,
        Glad to hear you and Virginia had a safe trip back to the Shipping Creek ramp.  After you left we all sailed on to Grapevine Cove, it was kind of slow going (unless you were in a Sea Pearl!).   Once we all got tied up John gave a walking tour of  the woods adjacent to the cove which included the history of Wye Island and information on the beautiful wooded area we were walking in.  Some of the oaks were 150-200 years old and well over 100 feet tall. Knowing some of the history of Wye Island and about people's efforts to preserve it as a natural refuge made me appreciate how rare a place we were visiting.

        After our hike we moved the boats out into the cove to try to find a little more breeze (Dave left to sail back to Shipping Creek on Kent Island).  We rafted up alongside the Dean and Mary's Shearwater for an hour or two.  John spotted a large adult bald eagle which perched on a branch not 50 yards from us, what a sight!  That was the first time I'd seen an eagle that close.

        Shortly after that we split up and found our quiet spots for the night. I couldn't seem to get to sleep, I don't know whether it was the full moon or the mosquitoes, but I decided to stow my gear and sail back to St. Michaels.  I pulled up the anchor about 1 AM and quietly rowed my way out of the cove. Out on the river there was a steady breeze blowing straight up river (what else!) so I  fired up the outboard and motored up to Drum Point where the river widened a bit and would give me more room to sail.  Not knowing how much wind I would find out on Eastern Bay I put my PFD on and began tacking out the Wye towards the bay.  The wind was 10-15 out of the SW and once out into Eastern Bay I had a great sail up the Miles.

        It was a beautiful night to sail. The full moon reflected off of my sail and lighted the way up river for me.  About 4:30  I started hearing the sound of engines , watermen heading out to work their trot lines - not used to seeing someone out on the water this early they shined spot lights on me in curiosity.  The red and green flashing lights marking the entrance to St. Michaels were visible in the distance and about 6 AM I reached the first marker as the sky started to lighten. I sailed into the harbor about 6:30 and had to work my way through about 200 boats anchored in the harbor.  The sails came down right in front of the Maritime Museum and I motored the rest of the way up the creek to the ramp.  I was loaded up and on the road by 7:30 and home to NJ by noon, ready for some well deserved sleep!

Here is John's report:

From the log of Zephyrus for the September 4-7, 1998 Wye River Cruise:

        Mary would have called it a "sweat and swat" weekend.  And it certainly was that.  Temperatures for the four days were in the mid-nineties.  The humidity seemed just as high.  The flies were bothersome on Saturday and the early morning mosquitoes were there to greet you as the dodger was turned back for the new day.  Needless to say, Mary knew all this in advance and therefore decided not to come.  I, nevertheless, did go cruisin' and enjoyed every minute of the time on the water.  Seeing old sailing friends, observing nature and reliving history, both near term and long term, made all the inconveniences small in comparison to the enjoyment of "capturing the day".  Different perspectives I suppose.

        The Wye Rivers and Wye Island brought this all together. You cannot help but be impressed with the history of the area.  Four miles from Wye Landing you pass by the Wye Mill.  The mill was producing flour for Washington's army while camped at Valley Forge in 1776.  Half a block down the road is the Wye Oak.  The oak is four hundred years old, the oldest known white oak in North America.  Wye Island ( three miles wide by six miles long) was settled by a signer of the Declaration of Independence, William Paca.  It was a station on the underground railroad in the mid 1800's.  Wye Island is now a Maryland Natural Wildlife Management Area.

        I spent some time working on Wye Island in 1993-94 with a Maryland Conservation Corp crew of ten disadvantaged teenagers.  Circumnavigating the island during the weekend gave me opportunities to see where we had planted sea grass along the shoreline, cleared a path through a woods, built canoe put-ins for a youth camp, set out bird and animal habitat and planted trees.  The trees and grasses had grown and prospered.  I thought about each of my crew members from five years before and wondered if I, and their MCC experience, had made a difference in their lives.  Had they also grown and prospered like the trees and grasses they had planted?  I hope so.

        The high point of the cruise for me was Sunday night about 7:00 PM.  Five boats had been rafted close to shore in Grapevine Cove on the northwest corner of Wye Island.  We had just finished enjoying a social hour in the big Shearwater cockpit.  It was about time to break up the nest for supper when I saw a large bird fly into a tree along the shore.  He was about a hundred feet away.  I said to myself: "A great blue heron does not have a white tail and a white head with a yellow hooked bill!  It must be, yes it is, an adult bald eagle!"  It landed in the tree and looked at us.  We got out our glasses and cameras and for ten minutes enjoyed watching a magnificent bird survey his/her domain.  What a gift from God!  Eventually the eagle took off, probably looking for supper.  We did the same.  At 8:30 PM each evening the full moon came up over the trees and illuminated the surroundings as if it were daylight.  I sat in the cockpit each night for an hour or so just absorbing the tranquility.  Life is good!

        The water's surface surrounding Zephyrus in the early mornings and just at dusk became alive with fish.  Bugs settling on the watch were snapped up in a wink.  This lasted only fifteen or twenty minutes each day.  It was fascinating to watch.  Like watching popcorn pop.  Saturday evening Dana pulled a small fishing rod out of the bilge on his Sea Pearl.  A few casts later he hooked a small yellow perch.  The fish was promptly released to return to the chore of eating bugs.  Throughout the cruise we saw heron, egrets, kingfishers, gulls and terns.  No osprey though.  They must be beginning their annual migration to Brazil.  It is a sure sign of fall approaching when they and the humming birds leave.  Unfortunately, it will be April before they return.

        I left Ron at the Wye Narrows on Monday morning.  I turned left towards Wye Landing to find my van and recover.  Ron turned right to go back down the "front Wye" and start his journey back to the ramp. There was no wind and the forecast was for another scorcher of a day.  Originally Ron had planned to spend an extra day in the area.  His parting comment though, was that he thought it probably would be better to be stuck in an air conditioned car in traffic heading back to North Carolina than spend another day baking in the sun.  As much as I had enjoyed sailing with him and the others, I had to agree with him.